


How to Woo Your Ranger

by Descended_from_Hufflepuffs



Series: Walker OT3 [1]
Category: Walker (TV 2021)
Genre: Cordell Walker is a Dork, Drunken Confessions, Established Relationship, F/M, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, Insecure Cordell, M/M, Misunderstandings, Multi, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Romance, Wooing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:53:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29456298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Descended_from_Hufflepuffs/pseuds/Descended_from_Hufflepuffs
Summary: Michelle Ramirez is a very observant person. Lately, she's been observing that her partner might have more-than-partnerly feelings for her and her boyfriend. She decides to take action.
Relationships: Cordell Walker & Liam Walker, Micki Ramirez/Cordell Walker, Trey Barnett/Cordell Walker, Trey Barnett/Micki Ramirez, Trey Barnett/Micki Ramirez/Cordell Walker
Series: Walker OT3 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2163609
Comments: 24
Kudos: 27





	1. Operation Woo Walker: Strategy

Michelle Ramirez was a Texas Ranger. One of the first female Rangers and the first woman of color Ranger. It was an honor that came her way with a lot of hard work, long hours, and a lot of being passed over for other, less qualified candidates. But she got here and she was proud of that. 

One of the skills that got her there was being extremely observant. She could spot clues where most would overlook them and she trusted her intuition when she got a hunch that something was off. It also made her very good at reading people, figuring out what exactly they wanted and why. Which is how she came to suspect Walker’s interest in her boyfriend. It was pretty obvious when she thought about it; Cordell was always eager to hang out with both of them and he brought Trey up in conversation with no prior prompting like it was the most natural thing in the world. Not to mention the heart eyes. For a legendary Ranger, Cordell sure liked to wear his heart on his sleeve.

Micki and Trey had been going steady for about a year now and, honestly, things couldn’t be better. Sure, they were both busy with work but they always found time for each other and it seemed like they learned something new about each other every day. One of the things they learned early in their relationship is that they were both open to polyamory. They’d never had much of a chance to explore it with their previous partners but the experiences they did have in their youth were positive memories so they decided to leave it on the table for now. Maybe now they had someone to really explore it with.

She decided to broach the topic over dinner. “Walker has a crush on you,” she commented while sipping her wine.

Trey hummed and chewed his steak. “I was wondering when you were gonna pick up on that.”

She chuckled softly. “I had my suspicions for a while but it was hard not to notice when he kept bushing every time you bent over the pool table last time we all went out together.”

“I’m sure I would’ve noticed that if I wasn’t too busy noticing his heart eyes every time you opened your mouth.”

“Is that so?” She set down her glass and leaned back in her seat. “So. How are we gonna do this?”

“How are we gonna do what?”

“Woo him.”

Trey laughed. “Okay, first of all, who says ‘woo’ anymore. Secondly, what makes you think Cordell wants to be wooed by us?”

“Well, he’s obviously attracted to us.”

“Yes. He was also married for almost eighteen years to one woman, has two kids, and comes from a conservative and catholic household. There’s a good chance he isn’t into polyamory or ready to think about the fact that he might be bisexual. Not to mention the fact that you two work together and being in a relationship outside of that might cause some problems.”

Micki had to admit that he had a point. Cordell Walker was an adult and, by definition, free to do as he pleased. But he was also a father, a widow, a product of a patriarchal upbringing, and a serious Ranger. He wasn’t just some kid on the block she could walk up to and ask out for drinks. But maybe that’s what made him so attractive. Yes, he was one of the most beautiful men she’d ever laid eyes on and he had that “sweet puppy/long arm of the law” duality that kept her coming back for more but she had to admit part of the appeal was the challenge. “So we take it slow. Show him that we’re interested and let him come to us.”

“And how exactly do you suggest we do that?”

She smirked and leaned forward on the table. “Well, there’s the classics. Flowers, chocolates, paying for dinner, spontaneous gifts.”

“Promises we don’t intend to keep.”

“Be serious.”

“I am!” Trey pushed his plate to the side and rested his elbows on the table. “Look, Cordell’s a great guy and I want to try this too. But from what I’ve seen and from what you’ve told me, the man’s completely oblivious when it comes to flirting. What are we gonna do if he just takes those things as friendly gestures?”

“We’ll just make it obvious then.”

“What? Are you gonna sit on his lap and kiss him until he gets it?”

She pretended to consider it. “You know, that’s not a bad idea…. You’d need to be there too to really hammer the point home but we can go ahead and call that Plan B.”

“You are insufferable.”

“Oh, you love me.”

“Luckily for you, I do. Are you gonna help me with these dishes or not?”

“Until I get your ‘yes/no’ on Operation Woo Walker, not.”

Trey sighed and picked up his plate. “I’m gonna give my okay on this because I can already tell you have a 20-step plan or whatever, and I will help you because I’m your boyfriend and I love you, but I think you’re getting in over your head here.”

She smirked and gathered her dishes. “I know it’s not gonna be easy but that’s kind of the point. I think we could all benefit from it and there’s no real reason not to. Either he’ll get it and he’ll say yes and we’ll be a happy throuple or he’ll say no and life goes on as normal.”

“That’s an optimistic view of things.”

“Let me have my dreams, Trey.” She gently smacked his shoulder and grabbed the dish soap.

Operation Woo Walker would hardly qualify as an easy or simple task but Micki felt it was worth whatever risk might come with it. It would be good for her and Trey to explore that part of their relationship with someone they were already fairly close to and despite her boyfriend’s valid hesitation, she could tell he saw that too. As for Walker, it would be good for him too even if he couldn’t see it yet. Walker was content with his life, being a single father of two talented children. But there was a difference between content and happiness; a man like Walker deserved to be happy, whether that was with them or not. He just needed someone to help him see that.

Texas Ranger Michelle Ramirez felt more than up to the task.


	2. Operation Woo Walker: The Challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cordell Walker has a problem

Cordell Walker was an awful person. Well, maybe  _ awful _ was a bit harsh. But he wasn’t exactly deserving of any “good person” awards. At least, if you asked him he wasn’t.

He was sure a lot of people would disagree with him. He was an excellent Ranger, always doing his best to make sure justice was served and that everyone was treated fairly. He knew when to step back and let his partner take the lead. He was doing his best to be a father to his children without Emily there to support them. He managed to be a good brother every now and then and actually attend the lunches he planned with Liam. He imagined there were plenty of people out there who would say Cordell Walker was a good person.

He was not one of those people.

One might ask why such a good man would hold himself in such low regard. And there are a few possible answers one might receive if they were to do so. There was the fact that he couldn’t protect his wife from the very criminals he fought on a daily basis. There was the fact that he abandoned his family when they needed him most. There was the fact that he still didn’t understand how to play his kids’ favorite board game. There were more he could list but the answer that stood out most to him recently was this: He was in love with his best friends.

Yep. Cordell Walker was falling hard for one Michelle Ramirez and one Trey Barnett. Two people that were in a wonderful and loving relationship  _ with each other _ . How did his life get here? Why was this his reality? What kind of asshole just harbored feelings for his very unavailable friends?

What made it worse was what good friends they were. They went out for drinks regularly with an alternating system for who paid. They played poker and pool together almost every time they went out. They celebrated victories and holidays together. Micki and Trey always seemed to go the extra mile to let him know they liked having him around as a friend. Heck, lately they’ve been giving him gifts for no real reason. Just last week Micki gave him a book he’d had his eye on for a while and a few days before that Trey gave him a tie that was completely his style. Just that morning, he and Micki split a box of chocolates and said Trey was going to give him some wildflower seeds later “for the bees” or something. 

What did he do to deserve such good friends? And why was he cursed with these traitorous feelings?

The smell of burning bacon snapped him out of his thoughts and he rushed to get breakfast plated before August and Stella came down. He really needed to do something about this, for the sake of his children’s appetites.

“Morning,” Stella called as she came down the stairs. “Burned the bacon yet?”

“It’s lightly charred this time.”

“Oooh mixing it up.” She smirked and sat down at the breakfast bar. “By the way, I forgot to mention it last night but Coach Barnett asked if you liked the tie he sent you.”

Cordell nearly dropped his coffee mug. “Oh- Uh, yeah, that. Um, yes, I did. You can tell him he can just ask me these things himself. I’m pretty sure that’s why he has my number.”

“Right.” Stella gave him one of those Looks she inherited from her mother. It was almost like she knew he was hiding something. Which was ridiculous because he really had nothing to hide from her. Nothing except the fact that her father was a pathetic friend who didn’t know how to handle his emotions but she probably already knew that.

Thankfully, any further discussion and the awkwardness associated with it was stopped by August plodding his way down the steps. “I smell lightly charred bacon!”

“Yeah, yeah, next time one of you can wake up at five am and make breakfast for the whole house. Hurry up and eat or we’re gonna be late.” He smiled and slowly sipped his coffee while Stella texted her friends and August rambled on about one of his school projects. In ten minutes, they’d be on the road and Cordell would have to go into the office and work a new case with his partner and later they’d probably go out for drinks with her boyfriend and he’d have to face his guilt again. But for right now, he could enjoy being a dad and enjoy breakfast with the family. 

Cordell Walker was a lucky man.

\------------

“For you, Walker.” Micki handed him a small box. “You mentioned you liked dark chocolate, lord knows why, and I saw some while I was getting gas this on the way here.” She smiled and turned around to set up her computer for the day.

“Thanks,” he murmured, grateful she couldn’t see his blush with her back turned like that.  _ It’s just a friendly gift. No need for a fuss. _ Friends got spontaneous gifts for their other friends all the time. Maybe he should think of something to get her. That might help him feel a little better. And it would be nice for her too. 

“Oh, and Trey wanted to know if you were joining us for drinks again tonight.”

“Well, I’ll have to check with the family but I think I’ll be free.” 

"Great. You want us to pick you up or meet us there like last time?"

“I-I can meet you guys there. I shouldn’t be drinking that much anyway.”

“Fair point. Now, about this case….”

He sat back in his chair and let Micki tell him about her latest theory. She really was the best partner he could ever ask for. Intelligent, empathetic, badass…. What more could he ask for?

Probably the ability to actually listen to the words she was saying. Or just anything in general that would prevent her from noticing his very inappropriate feelings. If only life were so simple.

\----------

“You’re a little late,” Liam commented as Cordell sat down for their lunch.

“Yeah, well, being a Ranger doesn’t give you as rigid a schedule as being a DA. Sometimes solving crimes takes precedence over my lunch break.” He smiled tightly and looked at the menu to distract himself. “Do we always have to come here? There’s barely even a decent burger on the menu.”

“Well, maybe next time you can arrange the reservations and I can show up ten minutes late.”

Cordell shook his head and decided to ignore that. “Anyway, how are things at work? Any exciting cases come your way?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary. What about you? You look like you’ve got something on your mind.”

He considered denying it but he also knew Liam wouldn’t let it go. He was a good brother. Sometimes a little too good. “I’ve been having...issues. With Micki. Well, Micki and Trey. It’s my own fault really. I just… I don’t know how to fix it.”

Liam set his menu down and leaned forward in his chair. “Sounds serious then. What’s the problem?”

Cordell sighed. “They’re good friends. Really, really good friends. They’re good together too, a really cute couple and-”

“Get to the point.”

“I  _ was _ but anyway.” He cleared his throat. “Lately… I’ve been having...feelings. Feelings that some people might consider to be outside of the range of friendly. About both of them. Which is just ridiculous because they’re a great couple and they’ve got this whole thing going and I’m just there being an idiot while they’re being great friends and-”

“Okay, woah, back up. You’re having these feelings about both Micki and Trey?”

“...Yeah.”

“...Since when are you into men?”

Cordell shrugged. “Since always I guess? It never really came up. Most of the guys I knew back in my dating hay day were assholes so I never bothered and then I met Emily and I never really had to think about it. But then I met Trey and...it kinda opened that up again.”

“Okay.” Liam leaned his elbows on the table and rested his chin in his hands, a thoughtful expression on his face. “So what you’re saying is, you’re experiencing some sort of sexuality crisis and your friends happen to be at the center of that and you feel bad about it?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Your friends Trey and Micki.”

“Yes.”

“Who invite you out to drinks all the time.”

“That’s them.”

“And you have hours-long text conversations with them when you can’t go out.”

“Is this going somewhere?”

  
“And they also bought you that tie.”

“Technically it’s just from Trey but yes.”

“They’ve also bought you other gifts recently, right?”

“Yeah…. Again, is this going somewhere?”

Liam cleared his throat. “So what I’m getting is: You’ve started to fall for your friends, Trey and Micki, who take almost every opportunity to spend time with you and make accommodations when you aren’t available and also just randomly buy you things and your concern is that they might hate you for having romantic feelings for them.”

“I mean...yeah. Was there a point to that?”

Liam stared at him for a few moments. “...It hasn’t occurred to you at all that you might not be the only one in this situation with feelings?”

Cordell tilted his head. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“I mean...doesn't some of their behavior seem just a  _ little _ outside the boundaries of plain friendship?”

“No.”

“....I would love to hear your logic for that.”

Cordell sighed. “Look, they’re good friends. They ask me out for drinks and such a lot because they know I don’t have many other friends and they don’t want me to become a hermit. They text me when I can’t go out because they don’t want me to feel left out. They buy me gifts sometimes because they’re good friends and spontaneous gifts are a friend thing.”

“Cordi, they ask you out  _ every night _ and you’re checking your phone half the time on family dinner nights because they don’t stop texting you. And they buy you gifts more than sometimes. I’m pretty sure you’ve gotten something from them every day this past week.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Monday Micki brought you a batch of cookies she made over the weekend. Tuesday Trey gave you that novelty Cowboys watch you were eyeing last time you went out. Wednesday Trey and Micki paid for your bar tab for the last few weeks. Thursday Trey bought you that tie. Friday Micki gave you a set of sheriff star cufflinks. Saturday Trey and Micki paid for y’all’s dinner. Sunday Trey let you drive around his new truck and listened to you go on about the features for about an hour or so. And I’m betting Micki brought you something this morning too.”

“Yeah, she bought me chocolates because she saw them while she was filling up her tank this morning. I’m still not sure where you’re going with this.”

Liam sighed. “I cannot believe we’re related,” he muttered. “Look, all I’m saying is: it might not be completely out of the realm of possibilities for them to maybe have feelings for you too.”

Cordell sat up straighter in his seat, a little peeved at the implication. “I don’t know where you get off saying something like that. Trey and Micki are an excellent couple. They’re loyal and they love each other and neither of them would do some crazy flirting right in front of their partner, especially not with someone so close to them.”

Liam rolled his eyes. “I’m not saying they’re trying to cheat on each other with you. Haven’t you ever heard of polyamory?”

“Well, yeah but-”

“Cordell, have you considered maybe that both of them share feelings for you and each other and this is their way of telling you they want you to join them?” Liam sat back in his seat with a huff. “I’m not guaranteeing anything but based on my observations, it isn’t entirely outside the realm of possibility.”

Cordell cleared his throat and went back to his menu. “Well, I disagree. Micki and Trey are great together and there’s no reason for them to try to involve me in what they have going. I doubt either of them would seriously consider a widowed coworker/father of one of their students.”

Liam sighed but didn’t push the issue further. “Suit yourself. I think I’ll have the salad this time.”

“Which salad? It’s practically all they have.”

“Again, you’re welcome to choose the venue next time but don’t complain when I show up late.”

“Shut up.”

“Whatever.”

\-----------

One thing Cordell hated about being a Texas Ranger was the amount of paperwork that came with the job. Reading briefs, filling out reports, filing statements...it could all get overwhelming. Most of them didn’t have any deadlines so he could push it off if he wanted to. But he knew if he did that it’d just pile up on him later and then James would be on him so he slaved away with his pen at his too-small desk, silently praying for any reason to get up and do something else.

He really should be careful what he wished for.

The phone rang and he’d barely gotten through his greeting when Stella’s strained voice told him to come to the school. “I think I ate something,” she groaned. “I don’t feel good….”

_ Shit. _

He left his desk in a rush with many apologies to Micki. “It’s Stella, I gotta go. I probably won’t be able to make drinks tonight either.”

“Don’t worry. Go take care of your girl.”

He probably broke the speed limit a few times but he didn’t care. What was the point of being a Ranger if you couldn’t break a rule or two here and there? He got in, checked in with the front desk, and was directed to the nurse’s office, where Stella was waiting with a bucket in her lap and….Trey.

Cordell ducked his head and knelt in front of Stella. “Hey, butterbean. How’re you feeling?”

“Not bad enough to let me call you that.” She managed a weak smile.

“Cafeteria had some special going on during lunch,” Trey commented. “A couple of the other girls weren’t feeling good at practice either and I’m sure some of the other kids got it too. Shouldn’t be anything too serious. Some rest, a lot of liquids, and a light dinner should do it. If she feels good in the morning she can come back tomorrow.”

Cordell nodded, smiling softly. “Thank you. For the news and for sitting with her. I’m sure she wasn’t great company.”

“Oh, I managed.”

“‘M right here,” she grumbled. “Can we go home now?”

“Yeah, sure thing. I told the nice ladies up front that you were coming home early so we should be good to go.” He helped her stand up, hugging her against his side as they stepped away. He looked over his shoulder at Trey and nodded. “Thanks again. I’m not gonna be able to make it out tonight with Stella but-”

“I’m sure you’ll make it up to us.” Trey stood and smiled that smile that made Cordell’s heart melt. “I’ll text you later and see how she’s doing?”

“Yeah. Yeah, that sounds good.” He really needed to get a fucking grip. 

“Come on, butterbean. Let’s get you home….”

\---------

Cordell couldn’t tell if it was the sickness or the stomach meds but Stella was in a bit of a haze for most of the rest of the day. August had been sent up to the main house to spend the night just in case it wasn’t just a minor case of food poisoning so it was just the two of them. He’d gotten Stella to rest in bed and, at Trey’s advice, gotten her to eat a dinner of lightly buttered toast and lots of water before tucking her in for the night.

“‘M not tired,” she murmured

"I know. But you need to at least try to sleep, okay?"

"'Mkay. G'night."

"Night, butterbean." He smiled and turned off her lamp before heading for the door. 

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you like Coach Barnett?"

He considered for a moment before answering. "Yes, I do. He's a good man and I'm glad you have him for a coach."

"I thought so. You always get smiley around him."

"Uh-huh." He became very interested in the door frame. "And do you like him?"

"Yeah. He's good."

"Good. Get some sleep, okay?"

"Yeah…."

Cordell carefully closed the door behind him and sighed in relief. The absolute last thing he needed was to discuss his pointless crush with his daughter. Something told him that conversation wouldn't go too well.

His phone binged and he saw a text from Trey, checking in on him and Stella. Smiling, he replied that everything was going great and thanks for the advice. 

He didn't know what he did to deserve such good friends. Which is why he couldn't screw it up with these feelings.


	3. Operation Woo Walker: A Change in Strategy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cordell gets a day off and Micki takes a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uuuggghhhh this chapter was really hard for me to get out for some reason. But is here now. Enjoy!

Any hope that Cordell might’ve had for Stella feeling better soon was dashed when he heard retching coming from the bathroom at 2 o’clock in the morning. With a 101°F fever, she wasn’t going anywhere and neither was he. He sent a message to the rest of the family, warning them to stay away for the next few days while she got over it and he inevitably caught whatever it was. Liam agreed to get August to and from school until then. 

He also called in to work, knowing he had plenty of sick days since he hardly ever took time off, even when he really should have. Micki could handle herself for a day and he didn’t want to get anyone else sick. He also texted Trey that Stella had a bug and to make sure to warn the school and her teammates in case it wasn’t an isolated incident.

Once he got Stella settled back in bed, he made a small breakfast of toast for both of them. That done, he decided to get around to some house work he'd been meaning to do. There were some weird sounds coming from the vents in the old house and water pressure hadn’t been the best lately. He could tackle that in a day or two, right? He told Stella to text him if she needed anything and got to work.

Between doing his repairs and helping Stella, lunch time sprang up on him pretty quickly. He heated up some soup for her but he was still mulling over his own meal when the doorbell rang.

“Micki?” 

“Hey partner.” She smiled and held up a bag of take out BBQ. “I figured you could use a little pick-me-up. Mind if I come in?”

Cordell stepped aside to let her in. “Uh, sure. Stella’s resting upstairs and I was just gonna make a sandwich or something. You know you didn’t have to bring me anything, right?”

“Well, I wanted to. You’ve been spoiling me; eating lunch alone is boring now.” Micki set her hat on one of the hooks in the entranceway. “How’s your day been? I assume you’ve been keeping busy.”

“Yeah, there’s some stuff I’ve been meaning to do around here. Plus Stella….” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. What was Micki doing here? Surely James told her why he’d called out?

“You know..the whole point of me taking time off was so that I  _ wouldn’t _ spread whatever bug this is around the station. You being here kinda negates that.”

“Like I said, I wanted to be here. Besides, if I was gonna get it, I already would’ve gotten it from Trey since he spends all day at that school. I should be fine.” 

“I’m not gonna change your mind on this, am I?”

“Nope.”

He smiled and chuckled softly. “Of course not….”

\-----------

When Micki heard Cordel was taking a sick day, she figured something had to be up. Trey’s text that Stella was also going to be out for a while just confirmed her suspicions. She figured he could use a little company and something more substantial than soup for lunch.

Besides, she missed him.

“How’s Stella doing? Trey said she wasn’t feeling too well yesterday.”

“She’s doing alright, all things considered. We hoped it was just food poisoning but she woke up with a fever so I’m thinking it’s a stomach bug. She’ll probably be back at it in a couple of days but I think I’ll just keep her out for the rest of the week. No sense in sending her back on a friday, right?” He chuckled softly, helping her set the table. 

“How have things been at work today? I assume you’re handling everything James throws at you?”

“Of course I am. Not that there’s much going on today.” She carefully set the sauce containers on the table. “I’m mostly just catching up on the paperwork from the last case.”

“Ah, paperwork: the silent killer. I swear, I’ll die from boredom filling out all those forms before I die taking down a cartel.” He laughed and grabbed some napkins.

“I take it that stuff never gets easier?”

“Not really. You just get better at knowing what has to get done and what you can shove aside for a slow day. It’s all about pacing.” 

With that, everything was set.

Micki had a second reason for bringing lunch today. Yes, she really did miss his company at the station but there was more to it than that. All of her and Trey’s previous attempts to let Cordell know his feelings were reciprocated had seemingly gone unnoticed. She was holding out hope that he had noticed and was just nervous about making a move since so much of their time together was public; if this were the case, a more private setting would give him the chance to express himself. If he really was just oblivious, she had more opportunities to make her intentions known without making him or anyone else uncomfortable. With any luck, they’d be celebrating by nightfall.

Let the flirting begin.

\------------

Trey ducked into the breakroom to call his girlfriend. Micki had been texting him since her impromptu lunch break with Cordell, demanding a call to “reassess strategy.” This was his first chance since then but he’d have to make it quick if he wanted to eat his own lunch. 

She picked up on the first ring. “We’re in love with an idiot.”

“Are we?”

“Either that or he’s being frustratingly gentlemanly. Honestly, it could go either way and that’s somehow worse.”

He chuckled softly. “I take it your hopes were dashed at the luncheon?”

She groaned and a soft thud drifted over the line. “I brought him food. I washed the dishes. I did the Lingering Touches. I sat there and listened to him talk about water pressure repairs for almost 45 minutes.”

“45 minutes? It’s water, how complicated can it be?”

“Apparently, very. Good news is, I’m pretty sure we’ll never have to call a plumber again if we can snag him.”

“Bad news is he’s too dumb to be snagged.”

“Shut up,” she groaned. “He’s a Ranger for fuck’s sake. The best Ranger on the force, one of the best in the last half-century. You’d think he’d be able to pick up on basic flirting, right?”

Trey shook his head and took his lunch out of the shared fridge. “Micki, I love you and I respect you and I’ll admit this whole ‘Operation Woo Walker’ thing has been fun. However, I think it might be time to consider a more direct approach to things.”

“More direct how?”

“I was thinking take some drinks over sometime this week, have a little date-night in, and spell it out for him.”

“.....”

“Micki?”

“....You have no sense of romance, you know that?”

He laughed loudly. “That’s not what you said last night,” he teased.

“Shut up.” She sighed softly. “You’re probably right though. At this rate, our first date will be his retirement party.”

“Bold of you to assume he’ll retire.”

“The family owns a ranch; he’ll retire from law enforcement at the very least.”

Trey shook his head and set out his lunch. “I’m sure. But until then, I’m requesting permission to take over this operation as previous management has been ineffective.”

“Fine. But tonight, I’ll have to remind you just how  _ effective _ my management can be.”

  
“Oooo. Yes  _ ma’am _ .”


	4. Operation Woo Walker: New Developments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to celebrate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)))))

The rest of the week passed without incident. Stella recovered on schedule and completed all the homework August collected for her with minimal complaining. Cordell, as expected, contracted the bug but it didn't seem to affect him as long as he feared. He still enjoyed the week off, even if he spent the tail-end of it feeling like he was run over by a truck.

To celebrate his good health, Micki and Trey invited Cordell out for drinks. Making up for lost time, they called it. He was just glad to be out of the house again (and maybe a little happy to be out with Trey and Micki specifically). Stella was going to be staying over at a friend’s house having a celebration of her own and August would be staying at the main house for another day. With the kids out, he was free to get a little drunker than usual and his lovely, lovely friends were more than happy to take advantage of that.

“You guys are horrible, you know that?” he muttered after downing yet another shot of whiskey. “Just because I can get a little shitfaced doesn’t mean I should. I do have to go to work tomorrow.”

“Oh, you know I’ll cover for you,” Micki murmured, resting her arm on his shoulder. “Come on, this is supposed to be a celebration. Live a little!”

“Maybe we should let him have some water before we give him more booze. The shots can wait a little bit,” Trey cut in. “Besides, the night is still young; we have plenty of time to get him drunk.”

“Again: you guys are horrible.”

“Hey, what are friends for?”

\----------

One thing Micki knew about Cordell was that he was definitely not a lightweight. Something she didn’t know about Cordell was how clingy he could get after a certain drink threshold.

See, normally their nights out had them tapping out at a few drinks each (except for the designated driver) and mostly talking and playing pool, maybe a little dancing if the floor was open enough. But tonight, the plan had been to get Cordell a little on the left side of hammered. She lost track of how many shots it took for him to get there but it was completely worth it. Hammered Cordell was like a big teddy bear full of hugs and laughter and he was so fucking adorable she could barely stand it. He also apparently reverted back to an awkward teen adjusting to a growth spurt because half of those hugs came from him stumbling on his own feet or miscalculating just how far his arms reached.

Another thing she didn’t know about Cordell was how chatty he could get when he was particularly drunk. 

“You guys are the best, you know that?” He was leaning on Trey while they left the bar. “You guys spend a week calling me an’ makin’ me lunch and then you still wanna take me out for drinks. You’re awesome.”

“We know, Cordi, we know.” Trey carefully loaded him into the backseat of Micki’s truck before hopping into the passenger seat himself. She started the engine and carefully rolled them out of the parking lot. Her hand was reaching for the radio dial when Cordell spoke up again.

“You know, I feel bad sometimes,” he muttered. “‘Cuz, you’re such good friends to me an’ all that. And here I am, just being a dumbass.”

Apparently, they’d reached his truth serum threshold. “You aren’t a dumbass,” she assured him. “Well, not all the time anyway.”

“But I am,” he insisted. “I am. ‘Cuz you guys are so good. You’re good together, fuckin’ adorable couple. Y’all just  _ fit _ so well and it’s perfect and you can’t mess with that. And here I am, being stupid and falling in love with you.” He giggled softly, seemingly unaware of what the fuck he just said.

Micki and Trey shared a look. So he did return their feelings, he was just oblivious. Interesting. “Why does that make you stupid, Cordi?”

“‘Cuz you guys are great. You’ve got your thing going and it’s working so well and you can’t mess with it. Why should I- What does it matter? Why do I even feel like this? Y’all’re both, like, the  _ definition _ of unavailable. Why do I….” he trailed off with a sigh. 

“Even if you weren’t….” He gestured vaguely between them. “Why me? ‘M just a tired Ranger with way too much baggage. ‘M a mess,” he muttered.

Another look. What were they even supposed to say to that? Should they even say anything? She opened her mouth to respond but Trey shook his head. “Better do this when he’s sober,” he murmured. “The last thing we need is confusion about our side of things.” 

Soft snores from the backseat stopped any other attempts she might’ve made to say something. Which was probably a good thing, because most of the questions she had probably should wait until morning anyway. The pressing question now? “How are we gonna get him in the house?”

After a short (and quiet) debate, they decide it’s probably better to take him to his own house rather than make him sleep on their (relatively) small couch. Even if they couldn’t get him up to his bedroom, they figured his couch would fit him pretty well.

She quietly pulled her truck into the driveway and carefully maneuvered his lumbering figure into the house. Another short debate led to them carrying him up the stairs to his bedroom, one of the few places in the house they’d never been in. The curious Ranger in her wanted to look around; the good friend knew there were more pressing tasks at hand.

Trey tasked himself with getting a glass of water and some aspirin for the next morning while she got Cordell somewhat ready for bed. Shoes went on the floor outside the closet and his belt was hung on one of the empty hooks on the wall. After some internal debate, she decided to liberate him of his shirt because he’d spilled a couple of drinks towards the end of the night and she doubted he’d want to wake up with that little reminder. She really, really tried not to peek but it’s not like those work uniforms hid much anyway and she had to look a little to find the buttons. She may have looked a little longer than strictly necessary but that’s all.

Trey eventually came back and he helped her maneuver Cordell so he was tucked in under the sheets and blankets. Christ, he looked so peaceful like that. So beautiful. “Like a goddamn Renaissance angel or something,” she murmured as they turned out the lights and left the room.

They’d all have a talk in the morning, a long-overdue talk full of awkward tension and important confessions. But for now, things were peaceful. She’d take it.


	5. Operation Woo Walker: Conclusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cordell wakes up and remembers last night.

Cordell groaned softly as he woke up. It had been a long time since he got legitimately drunk and this lovely headache was a good reminder of why that was. He scowled at the sunlight that came in through the blinds and sat up against the headboard.

He felt like a trainwreck but nothing a good breakfast wouldn’t fix, assuming he got out of bed to make it. It was at this point that he realized he was legitimately tucked into bed as opposed to just laying on the covers. He didn’t remember getting ready for bed but he remembered getting in the car with Micki and Trey so this was probably their doing. Christ, he had good friends.

Yawning, he swung his legs over the side of the bed. He saw the water and aspirin and smiled, happily downing the painkillers. Thankfully, he wasn’t feeling too nauseous but he didn’t feel like joining the real world yet either. The smell of bacon hit his nose and if he listened hard enough he could hear Micki talking in the kitchen.  _ They stayed the night? Why? _

Shaking his head, he decided to at least get into something more comfortable than his jeans and maybe duck into the bathroom to freshen up a little. As he put on a pair of sweatpants and undershirt, he tried to put together his memories from the night before. He remembered being at the bar, getting in Micki’s truck, and falling asleep, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something else. Knowing his own record with drinking, he probably said something weird or embarrassing.

It wasn’t until he was washing his face that it hit him.

_ “And here I am, being stupid and falling in love with you.” _

_ “‘M just a tired Ranger with way too much baggage.” _

He groaned and hit his head on the mirror. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuckity fuck.

“Fuck….”

There was no way they didn’t hear him. There was definitely no way they didn’t remember. He just admitted his wrong and bad and stupid feelings to their faces and...and they were still here. They got his dumbass into bed and gave him painkillers and stayed to make him breakfast. 

Was this their way of letting him down easy? It probably was a smart idea to just talk to him in a private environment. No need to let the awkward seep into their work life or social life. But it would, eventually. They’d stop asking him out as much, not wanting to encourage his bullshit. Micki would close up again and probably try to get a new partner; she needed to be with someone she could trust. And Cordell would be alone again.

Sure, he’d have his family. August, Stella, Liam, Momma, Daddy, all them. But it’s not the same. He has to be Dad or Cordi when he’s with them. There’s so much he can’t tell them about, personal and professional, not when he’s still trying to earn their trust as a father and a brother and a son again. He can’t tell them how overwhelmed he feels sometimes trying to deal without Emily. He can’t tell them how some days he just wants to get on his horse and ride away for a day or two. He can’t tell them how sometimes it feels like they don’t listen to him but just sub in whatever they think he should say or do. 

Trey and Micki were different. With them he could just be Cordell. Not even Cordell Walker, Texas Ranger. Just…Cordell. Cordell the flawed man who didn’t always know what he was doing. Cordell the guy who sometimes just wanted to talk about nothing. Cordell the human that sometimes felt overwhelmed and just needed someone to vent to. Micki and Trey let him be that. He always felt better, lighter, around them because at the end of the day they wouldn’t call him a bad father or a lacking member of the family because he faltered every now and then. He felt safe, free to fuck up and be anxious and a littel depressed because that’s just his life.

But not anymore. 

Not after that.

Wiping his face, he steeled himself for the probably very kind and understanding speech they would give him once he got downstairs. They’d let him down easy because of course they would. They’d tell him it’s not his fault he has bad feelings but they’re worried about him and maybe he should go to an actual therapist and “We’ll always be friends” and they’d promise to keep in touch. Because they’re just good friends like that. And he’d learn to get along without them because he owed them that much.

He padded down the stairs, heart melting a bit when he saw Micki and Trey having a quiet talk at the table. Breakfast had been set up buffet style on the kitchen counter and they were slowly eating their own meal. It was clear that they’d stayed the night, with their rumpled clothes and all. They still looked beautiful, almost radiant. 

_ Probably because they’re losing the third wheel. _

He made himself smile when he walked in, exchanging quiet hellos and how’d-you-sleeps as he made his plate. He tried to ignore the way his heart clenched then they didn’t pick up their talk again. He felt their eyes on him as he poured a coffee for himself and he decided to eat at the counter, like he usually did. He couldn’t look at them right then.

“You sure you’re feeling okay, Cordell?” came Micki’s concerned voice. What did he ever do to deserve her?

“Yeah, just a headache. I’ll be fine by lunchtime,” he assured her, still not looking at her fully.

There was a pause and Cordell picked at his breakfast, though his appetite had fled when his memories came back.

“We need to talk.” That was Trey. God, he was gonna miss Trey.

“This is about last night.” They all knew it wasn’t a question. “Look, guys, I’m so-”

“Stop.” He heard a chair scoot across the tile and Micki’s hand on his wrist. “Cordi, look at me. Please.”

How could he say no? It’s the least he could do. He turned, expecting cold professionalism, misplaced understanding, maybe anger. All he saw in her face was concern, maybe a little sadness. Then she was pulling him back to the table andhe numbly followed her. She sat him in the empty chair, hand resting on his shoulder.

“Cordell Walker, you’re going to be quiet and let us talk,” she murmured. “You said enough last night and I want you to hear what we have to say before you go off on whatever self-deprecating spiel you were about to give us, okay?”

Cordell looked between the two of them and nodded, not sure what else to do.

Trey sat forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Cordi, we knew how you felt before last night. We know you never said anything and we get why but right now you need to understand that we don’t hate you for it. We never could. You’re a good man and we feel lucky to have you around.”

“We also want you to know we feel the same way.” Cordell’s gaze shot to Micki, confusion clear on his face. 

“I know, I know. But we do. Trey and I are polyamorous. We noticed your attraction and we talked about it and decided we wanted to pursue this with you. I’ll admit I was a bit optimistic and decided we would try to ‘woo’ you before talking to you first. If I had any idea how much you’d been beating yourself up about this, I would’ve invited you over for bar-b-que and we would’ve had this conversation two weeks ago.”

Cordell was pretty sure he resembled a fish at this point. They didn’t hate him. They were okay with him feeling this way. They...liked him back? They wanted him to be a part of their relationship? How….? “What are you saying?”

“We’re saying we want to date you, if you’re open to it.” Trey smiled and gently took one of Cordell’s hands in his. “We like you too. The same way you like us. Simple as that. So, will you go out with us?”

His gaze traveled from Trey’s face, down to where their hands were joined, to where Micki’s hand still rested on his shoulder, up to her face. He didn’t know what to think. This is not at all how he imagined this conversation going. He felt...warm. Safe. Happy.  _ Right. _ This felt right. This was everything he wanted but didn’t think he'd ever have. He wanted to say yes, so very badly.

But….

“I…. I need to tell my family,” he murmured. “August, Stella…. They’re my priority. I can’t just throw this at them without talking to them first. And I’m...not really out to my family, except Liam.” He sighed and leaned his head against Micki’s arm.

“I want this. I do. But I can’t just jump into this. I...I’m gonna need some time.”

“We understand,” Micki assured him, running her free hand through his hair. 

“And we’ll be here when you’re ready,” Trey added, squeezing his hand again.

Cordell felt a small smile come across his face. Despite all the uncertainty he felt in the moment and how his mind was still reeling, he couldn’t feel too bad. Micki and Trey were here. Even if he couldn’t do this with them, they wouldn’t just up and leave. He could believe that for now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I know I know please don't freak out right now
> 
> This is the end of a part of the overall story. I still have a lot of feels to explore with these three!
> 
> Thank you to everyone that read this and especially to those who left comments!


End file.
